Low fitting hairline cap

ABSTRACT

A low-fitting hairline cap is disclosed. The cap includes an indentation on each side that extends upward relative to the body. The indentations enable a wearer of the cap to seat the cap in a lower position on the head without being obstructed by the upper ears.

BACKGROUND Field

The present disclosure relates generally to caps, and in particular tocaps that can be worn low without unnaturally pushing against the upperears.

Background

It is commonplace for wearers of baseball, trucking and other caps todon them in a lower position on the head than the cap naturally lendsitself to being worn. For example, certain wearers may prefer anonymoty.Others prefer stylistically to wear the hat in a low position on thehead.

One problem with conventional caps is shown in FIG. 7, which illustratesa conventional cap 700 including a round body 704 for seating on thehead, and a bill 706 coupled to body 704. Assuming, as is often thecase, that additional room exists between the head of the wearer and thebody 704 to wear the cap 700 in a lower position, the body edges 711tend to interfere with, and even push out, the upper ears. Thus thewearer who desires to position the cap 700 lower on the head must eitherwear the cap 700 with the edge 704 of the body over the ears, or withthe body edge 704 pressing against a ridge of the upper ear defined bythe ear and a side of the head. Both alternatives are uncomfortable, andfeel and look unnatural. Further, where the body edge 704 is worn flushagainst the ridge of the ears, the ridge conventionally acts as anobstruction that prevents the cap 700 from being worn any lower, whichcan be an undesirable restriction for certain people.

SUMMARY

Various aspects of the disclosure are set forth herein. According to oneaspect of the disclosure, a cap includes a bill, and a body coupled tothe bill, the body having indentations arranged on opposite sidesthereof, the indentations extending upward into the body for alignmentaround at least a portion of respective upper ears of a wearer to enablethe wearer to don the cap in a lower position on a wearer's head withoutobstruction between edges of the body and the upper ears.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, a cap includes a bill,and a body coupled to the bill, the body including indentations in leftand right sides thereof extending upward into the body, the indentationsbeing contoured to provide room for upper ear regions of a wearer toenable the wearer to don the cap in a lower position on the head thatwould otherwise cause the upper ear regions to obstruct the body withoutthe indentations.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, a method for assembling acap comprising a bill and a body includes forming the body to include apair of upward indentations contoured to fit proximate upper ears of awearer, and coupling the body to the bill, wherein the indentations areconfigured to enable a wearer to don the cap in a lower orientation onthe head by providing additional spacing for the upper ear regions.

Other aspects will become readily apparent to those skilled in the artfrom the following detailed description, wherein is shown and describedonly several embodiments by way of illustration. As will be realized bythose skilled in the art, concepts herein are capable of other anddifferent embodiments, and several details are capable of modificationin various other respects, all without departing from the presentdisclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to beregarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the low fitting cap and features thereofin accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the low fitting cap in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 3 is a view of a person wearing the low fitting cap in a forwardorientation.

FIG. 4 is a view of a person wearing the low fitting cap in a backwardsorientation.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary flow diagram of a method for making a low fittingcap in accordance with an embodiment.

FIGS. 6A-C are exemplary views of different shapes of indentations inaccordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a conventional cap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appendeddrawings is intended to provide a description of various exemplaryembodiments of the concepts disclosed herein and is not intended torepresent the only embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced.The term “exemplary” used in this disclosure means “serving as anexample, instance, or illustration,” and should not necessarily beconstrued as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments presentedin this disclosure. The detailed description includes specific detailsfor the purpose of providing a thorough and complete disclosure thatfully conveys the scope of the concepts to those skilled in the art.However, the disclosure may be practiced without these specific details.In some instances, well-known structures and components may be shown inblock diagram form, or omitted entirely, in order to avoid obscuring thevarious concepts presented throughout this disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the low fitting cap 100 and featuresthereof in accordance with an embodiment. Cap 100 includes a body 104,and a bill 106 coupled to the body. Traversing the perimeter of the bodyare body edges 111, a front portion of which is generally coupled to thebill 106 via a stitching process or other suitable assembly technique.Cap 100 may be a baseball cap, for instance, or another type of cap.

In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, cap 100 includesindentations 102 (one obscured from view) formed into the body 104 atopposite sides of the cap. The indentations 102 may be contoured toextend in an upward and curved position into the body for achieving analignment around respective upper ears of a wearer. Indentations 102thus enable the wearer to seat the cap in a lower position on a wearer'shead while avoiding interference that would otherwise occur between thebody edges and the upper ears in the absence of the indentations. In theexample shown, the indentation 102 extends from about the brim of thecap to a seam, although narrow or broader indentations are possible.

A lower position on the user's head may, for example, include a positionin which the cap 100 can be seated on a wearer's head with at least aportion of the body edges 111 at any point on a circumference of thebody 102 being positioned lower on the head than a top surface of thewearer's ears, or alternatively, positioned lower than the ridges of theupper ears. In this way, indentations aligned with a wearer's earsenable the cap to be seated lower without the body edges 111 causinguncomfortable pressure to the ridges or otherwise pushing against theupper ears. As described herein, the ridges of the upper ears includethe inner surface region connecting the head to the ear, such as whereeyeglass are often seated. Thus, for instance, the body edges 111 thatare coincident with (i.e., that border) the indentations 102 on eachside of the cap may be behind the upper ears, and either gently seatedon the ridges of the ears between the head and upper ears, or positionedabove the ridges of the ears as the user desires. In either case, thecap can be worn lower on the head without the body edges 111 pressingagainst the ridge of the ear as in conventional caps, causingdiscomfort, pushing out of the ears, and possible contortion of the capmaterial.

In other embodiments, the body edges coincident with the indentationsneed not necessarily be obscured by the upper ears or even in contactwith the ridges of the ears, provided that the user can wear the cap ina lower position as desired because of the extra room accorded theuser's ears via the indentations (see, e.g., FIG. 4). Among otheradvantages, the indentations 426 obviate the need for the user toattempt to fold the excess cap material (including the body edges 111 orportions thereof) on a conventional cap to achieve a lower fitting ofthe cap, or to seat the fabric over the ears, in order to obtain thelower fitting, both alternatives of which look and feel unnatural.

Thus, in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the indentations are curved upwardinto the body for the purpose of allowing the wearer to seat the caplower than would otherwise be comfortably possible. In variousembodiments, the indentations 102 are broadly formed in the cap 100 suchthat the indentations 102 begin at the forward portion 108 adjacent thebill 106, gradually rise to a maximum and then ultimately fall towards aseam 121 adjacent the end portion of the indentation 102. This broadlyshaped indentation 102 may be used, for example, to enable a wearer todon the cap on backwards and to still achieve a similar low orientationof the cap without undue interference from the ears. However, it shouldbe understood that the indentations 102 need not take on the shape asshown in FIG. 2, as other shapes may be equally suitable (see, e.g.,FIGS. 6A-C).

FIG. 2 is a side view of the low fitting cap 200 in accordance with anembodiment. As before, cap 200 includes bill 206, body, 204, and loweredges 225 of body traversing a perimeter of body 204. In someembodiments, the rear of the body 204 may be an open area that includesa strap (e.g., FIG. 4) with small apertures or a clip to adjust sizing(not shown for simplicity). This open area may interrupt the lower edges225 of the body from continuously traversing the perimeter.

Indentation 202 corresponding to a right side of a wearer's ear (or leftside, if the cap is worn backward, are shown in FIG. 2, as similar toFIG. 1. That is, in the embodiment shown, the indentation are initiallycurved inward beginning at a forward section 208 at a brim of cap 200adjacent the bill 206, and may continue to curve inward to a maximallyupward portion 226, where the indentation proceeds to curve back downuntil it terminates, such as at or adjacent a seam as shown in FIG. 1.The size of the indentations may be proportional to the amount of roomavailable in the body for a user to lower the profile of the cap 200while worn, or the indentation may be sized using other considerations.In other embodiments, the width of the indentations 202 may be smalleror longer, and the indentations 202 may be shaped differently withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The indentations 202 enable the wearer to don the cap and seat it in alow position while maintaining a streamlined and comfortable fit aroundthe ears. In addition, the indentations 202 can be used on differentsized heads with similar results. The wearer can simply adjust the strapin the back of the hat to make the hat smaller or bigger, and theindentations 202 can remain in place to accord the wearer additionalroom around the ear region.

The identified maximally upward portion 226 may fit between the upperear and the head above the ridge, such that the upper ear at leastpartially obscures maximally upward portion 226. In other embodiments,the maximally upward portion 226 may reside just above the ears, therebyfreeing the ears from the impediment of the lower edges 225 when thewearer dons the cap. The maximally upward portion 226 may, but need not,be a single point or region. Rather, in some embodiments such as whererectangular indentations or indentations having other shapes are used,maximally upward portion 226 may be associated with a straight line,diagonal line, and the like. In still other embodiments, the indentation202 may be shaped to conform with the general shape of an averageperson's ridge, so as to provide a snug but comfortable fit when the cap200 is worn low.

FIG. 3 is a view of a person wearing the low fitting cap 300 in aforward orientation. Cap 300 includes a pair of indentations to enablethe wearer to seat the cap in a lower position 341 wherein the body isgenerally lower than the wearer's hairline, and the bill is positionedover the forehead instead of at the hairline. For example, the bill maybe closer to the eyes of the wearer.

FIG. 3 shows an upper ear region 363 that includes the upper ear 392 andan inner ear region marked by the symbol A. The inner ear region Aincludes the ear ridge (obscured from view). As noted above, when thehat worn in a lower position 341, the edge of the indentation mayseamlessly fit underneath the upper ear 392. Notably, if the indentationwere absent from the cap 300, the body edge 311 would significantlyobstruct the inner ear region A, thereby preventing the wearer fromwearing the cap 300 in a low position below the hairline at leastbecause the cap fabric would push against the ears of the wearer. Invarious embodiments, the indentations in FIG. 3 may be placed atdifferent locations above the upper ear region 392 to prevent thisobstruction and to enable the wearer to comfortably wear the cap 300 inthe desired low position.

In other embodiments, the indentations may be configured such that thecap can be flipped around. FIG. 4 is a view of a person wearing the lowfitting cap in a backwards orientation. As can be seen, the orientationof the cap in FIG. 4 is angled downward relative to the forwardpositioning shown in FIG. 3. The indentations 402 in FIG. 4 neverthelessprovide the wearer additional room to seat the cap in a lower positionthat is at or below the hairline. For example, in the front of cap 400where the sizing strap 409 is positioned, the cap 400 may be worn higherdepending on wearer preference. Conversely, the cap 400 may be wornlower than usual in the mid and rear areas. Maximally upward portions426 of indentations 402 are shown for exemplary purposes as being abovethe upper ears. However, this leaves room for the wearer to seat the hatlower in alternative embodiments such that the maximally upward portion426 is between the upper ear region 463 and thus obscured from view bythe upper ear region 463. Bill 406 can also be placed very low relativeto the remaining portions of cap 400, which is consistent with thepreferences of various users.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary flow diagram of a method for making a low fittingcap in accordance with an embodiment. The cap may be assembled using avariety of techniques, including automated stitching processes, or insome embodiments, using adhesives to connect together elements of thehat. At exemplary step 527, the body of the cap is formed, such as bystitching together a plurality of fabric elements at the designatedseams. The body is formed to include upward indentations as heretoforedescribed. The indentations may be pre-cut into the body, for example,or in other embodiments the indentations may already be formed in thefabric that is stitched together to form the body. In other embodiments,the indentations are cut into the finished body and the loose fabric isstitched or otherwise adhered to the body to create a neat, refinedlook. As in exemplary step 578, the edges of the body portion may beformed to fit a wearer in a lower position by an amount that may beproportional to the additional spacing that is accorded a typical upperear region by the indentations. Stated differently, the body edges maybe adjusted accordingly to enable the cap to be seated lower on a user'shead as desired, limited primarily by the width of the indentations. Itshould be noted that most or all of step 578 may be performedsimultaneously to, or immediately thereafter, the forming of the body instep 577. Alternatively, the edges may be adjusted in more detail instep 578 after the initial formation of the body and upper ears in step577, for example.

In step 579, the body formed in previous steps may be connected orotherwise coupled to the bill to form the remainder of the cap. Thisstep may include stitching of the cap and the bill, or fixably applyingthe two parts together using adhesives or other fastening means. In someembodiments, the bill is formed prior to or contemporaneous with theformation of the body, in which case step 579 may temporally occur priorto one or both steps 577 and/or 578.

FIGS. 6A-C are exemplary views of different shapes of indentations inaccordance with various embodiments. As noted above, while theindentations are primarily contoured by the use of curves extendingupward such as half ellipses or similar shapes, including indentation602 a in FIG. 6A, other shapes are possible. For example, an indentation602B having a generally rectangular shape for alignment about the upperear region is shown in FIG. 6B. Similarly, FIG. 6C shows a longerindentation 602C that may be more suitable for use with larger caps. Itshould be understood that the shapes in FIGS. 6A-C may vary, and anynumber of other shapes are possible that can provide for a low profilehat on the head with a streamlined fit.

The previous description is provided to enable any person skilled in theart to practice the various aspects described herein. Variousmodifications to the exemplary embodiments presented throughout thisdisclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and theconcepts disclosed herein may be applied in other contexts and fordifferent purposes. Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited tothe exemplary embodiments presented throughout the disclosure, but areto be accorded the full scope consistent with the language claims. Allstructural and functional equivalents to the elements of the exemplaryembodiments described throughout this disclosure that are known or latercome to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are intended tobe encompassed by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein isintended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether suchdisclosure is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is tobe construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f), or analogouslaw in applicable jurisdictions, unless the element is expressly recitedusing the phrase “means for” or, in the case of a method claim, theelement is recited using the phrase “step for.”

What is claimed is:
 1. A cap, comprising: a bill; and a body coupled to the bill, the body having indentations arranged on opposite sides thereof, the indentations extending upward into the body on each side of the body for alignment around at least a portion of respective upper ears of a wearer, the indentations enabling the wearer to obtain a low profile fitting of the body while avoiding obstruction between edges of the body and the upper ears.
 2. The cap of claim 1, wherein each of the indentations comprises an upward curve.
 3. The cap of claim 1, wherein each of the indentations extend at a forward portion of the cap from a region proximate where the body and bill meet.
 4. The cap of claim 1, wherein each of the indentations is shaped to conform with a shape of a ridge of an upper ear region.
 5. The cap of claim 1, wherein each of the indentations is configured to extend underneath an outer portion of the respective upper ear when a wearer dons the cap.
 6. The cap of claim 1, wherein each of the indentations is configured to enable the wearer to wear the cap in a backwards orientation without obstruction between the body and the upper ears.
 7. The cap of claim 1, wherein each of the indentations is configured to fit into a ridge between an outer ear and a head of the wearer when the cap is in the lower position.
 8. The cap of claim 1, wherein each of the indentations comprises a semi-rectangular or an oval shape.
 9. The cap of claim 1, wherein each of the indentations comprise a maximally-upward portion relative to the body, the maximally-upward portions being configured for positioning proximate respective upper ears of a wearer.
 10. A cap, comprising: a bill; and a body coupled to the bill, the body comprising indentations in left and right sides thereof extending upward into the body, the indentations being contoured to provide room for upper ear regions of a wearer to enable the wearer to don the cap in a lower position on the head that would otherwise cause the upper ear regions to obstruct the body without the indentations.
 11. The cap of claim 10, wherein the indentations are contoured to fit in ridges defined by the upper ear regions and a head of the wearer.
 12. The cap of claim 10, wherein the bill and body are configured to sit in a lower position on a wearer's head than would otherwise fit the wearer absent the indentations.
 13. The cap of claim 10, wherein the indentations are further configured to provide room for the upper ear regions when the wearer dons the cap in a backwards orientation.
 14. The cap of claim 10, wherein the indentations comprise upward curves in the body proximate the upper ear regions when the wearer dons the cap.
 15. The cap of claim 10, wherein the indentations are bordered with material on the body that is contoured to fit into a ridge between each outer ear and the head when the wearer dons the cap in the lower position.
 16. A method for assembling a cap comprising a bill and a body, the method comprising: forming the body to include a pair of upward indentations contoured to fit proximate upper ears of an anticipated wearer; and coupling the body to the bill, wherein the indentations are configured to enable a wearer to don the cap in a lower orientation on the head by providing additional spacing for the upper ear regions.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the coupling the body comprises stitching the body to the bill.
 18. The method of claim 16, further comprising forming the lower edges of the body to fit lower on the head by an amount proportional to the additional spacing accorded the upper ears by the indentations.
 19. The method of claim 16 further comprising forming the body to fit the wearer in the lower orientation when the cap is worn in a backwards orientation by the wearer. 